Nothing Quite So Tempting as Temptation

“I can resist anything – except temptation!” Have you ever heard someone say that? Have you ever thought that yourself, or felt that way?

 

Temptation is insidious. It’s also highly individualized. What tempts you might not tempt me, and vice versa. But temptation is as universal as air and gravity. There’s no escaping it. It made its presence known with the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, and it’s been plaguing humankind ever since.

 

If you ever wanted proof that the Bible is not a collection of varnished, idealistic stories and philosophies, look no further than the lives of biblical patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samson, David, Solomon, and even the apostles. Each of them looked temptation square in the face – and in various ways, succumbed to it.

 

This is why 1 Corinthians 10:12 candidly warns, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” We’re never to become so smug as to believe we’re immune to sin’s enticements. If David, who walked so closely with God for so long, or Solomon, reputed to be the world’s wisest man, could fall victim to temptation, why would we think we couldn’t become ensnared as well?

 

We don’t have to go around looking for temptations. They’re all around us – they’ll find us. They can appear with a click of the TV remote, a glance at our computer or smartphone screens, or as we walk down the hall at work. (That is, if you actually go to work in these days of Zoom meetings and virtual offices.) Temptations are everywhere – there was even an old Motown group by that name!

 

As I’ve met with men in mentoring relationships and we’ve discussed temptation and sin, as is almost always the case, we’ve realized several important realities. One is that there’s a big difference between being tested and being tempted: Testing is an opportunity to grow spiritually; temptation is to fall spiritually.

 

James 1:12-15 expresses this truth very clearly:

“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

 

Look at it this way: If you go to a gym and start working out with weights, you start with a weight you can handle and then gradually work up to heavier ones, seeking to test your muscles and become stronger. Temptation, on the other hand, is when you leave the gym you stop by a local ice cream shop for a super-sized milkshake or banana split, thereby undoing the benefits of your exercise.

 

Another reality about temptation is that what we’re facing might seem as if we’re the only ones who have encountered it, but it’s not. The first part of 1 Corinthians 10:13 states, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man….” Your particular temptation may seem especially burdensome, but you’re not unique. Others have faced very similar challenges – maybe encountering them right now.

 

In fact, we can’t even pray, “Lord, You just don’t understand!” Because He does. Hebrews 4:15 informs us, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.” If we’re wanting to offer the excuse, “I can’t help it,” Jesus can respond, “Been there. Faced that. Didn’t sin.”

 

There’s one more truth about temptation worth considering, one that’s very good news. The remainder of 1 Corinthians 10:13 states, “and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” 

 

If we’re willing to submit to the Lord in obedience by faith, He promises to deliver us from whatever form of temptation that’s confronting us. In fact, He will even provide “the way of escape.” This is not simply one of many possible ways, but THE way – through the power of the Holy Spirit that lives within us.

 

This is a far better option than trying to power through the temptation in our own strength, or even calling a friend or sponsor to talk us out of it. When we cry out, “Lord, I can’t!”, He nods and says, “Yes, I know, but I can – will you let Me do this through you?”

 

As Jesus said in another context – but a principle that applies here as well – “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27). We all will have to deal with temptation, but that doesn’t mean sin is an inevitable result.

Nothing More Tempting Than Temptation

When you hear the word, “temptation,” what comes to mind? Hollywood seems to love the word; including it in the title for a movie or TV show promises potential viewers an chance to venture into the realm of things taboo. But it’s hardly a new concept. From the very beginning of Genesis, when Adam and Eve confronted the temptation of the forbidden fruit and then succumbed to it, temptations have been ever-present and relentless.

As someone has said, “I can resist everything except temptation.”

Depending on the individual, being tempted can mean anything from indulging in extra pieces of candy, another alcoholic drink, or heading back to the buffet line, to indulging in purchases one can’t afford or yielding to the urge to spend another session in front of the computer viewing content we wouldn’t want anyone to know about. 

Sometimes we don’t even try to resist. The magnetic pull of things we shouldn’t do seems too strong. We justify our missteps with excuses similar to that of comedian Flip Wilson’s classic character, Geraldine: “The devil made me do it!” But it’s at that point where we make our greatest mistake – the devil can’t make a follower of Jesus to do anything. He can offer an enticing suggestion, and we in turn can decide, “That sounds like a good idea.” Except it’s not.

One of the longest Bible verses I ever learned deals specifically with temptation. To memorize it, I found it best to put it to into practice: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

When I reflect on this passage, two key truths stand out: First, temptations we face aren’t out of the ordinary; they’re not unique to ourselves. They’re “common to man.” Things that tempt us also trouble many other people. If we feel no one has ever faced temptations such as we’re dealing with, we’re wrong.

The second is there is always a choice. God will provide us with a “way of escape” or, as another translation puts it, “a way out.” Years ago, a friend who was a diabetic talked about one of his greatest temptations – Krispy Kreme donuts. Especially when the red neon light was on signaling a hot, fresh batch was ready for the taking. The Lord’s way of escape for him, he explained, would be to continue driving rather than turning the steering wheel toward the parking lot.

   

Two passages in Hebrews assert that even Jesus confronted temptations, so we can never contend, “Lord, You just don’t understand.” Hebrews 2:18 tells us, “Because (Jesus) himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Then Hebrews 4:15 expands on that: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.”

So when we read the apostle Paul’s words, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13), we can apply this promise to overcoming temptations that threaten to defeat us. Knowing Jesus Himself was tempted, but never yielded to sin, assures us that we too can experience victory over temptation – through His strength.

One other thing strikes me when thinking about seductions trying to lure us into sinful behavior. We don’t have to worry about God tempting us, although He will test us at times through a variety of trials. There’s an important difference:

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:12-15).

The Lord brings testing into our lives as part of His process for molding and shaping us into the people He wants us to be. Much as a bodybuilder uses various weights to strength and tone muscles, God uses tests to strengthen and refine our faith.

As I see it, temptations come when our spiritual enemy presents opportunities for us to fail. Testing comes when God presents us with opportunities to succeed.

Out of the Dark and Into the Light

The TV mystery begins, and it’s dark. Dark city street, dark house, dark alley. You think, “Uh-oh, here comes trouble.” Don’t people know bad stuff happens when it’s dark? Especially if they’re alone? 

Apparently while attending perpetrator school, criminals learn the best way not to get caught doing something wrong is to do it in the dark. When no one can see – at least not very well.

I remember as a kid watching the old horror and thriller movies – when they were still in black-and-white. (Those were days before blood, gore and evil got so explicit, depicted in dying color.) Whenever a scene turned dark, you knew something bad was about to happen. Darkness and danger were Siamese twins.

But we don’t have to be a hardened criminals – or movie monsters – to be enticed by the secrecy of the dark. Particularly when doing things we know we shouldn’t be doing. In the light of day, we know how to act like angels. You can almost see our little halos. But in the dark, when no one can see what we’re up to, the insidious human affliction called sin shifts into high gear.

We harbor secrets, sometimes feeling guilty about them. But because no one else knows, they hold us captive. “You call yourself a Christian? What would people think of you if they found out? You hypocrite!”

The Bible calls this being “slaves to sin.” As Romans 6:16 expresses it, “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness.”

I’ll never forget receiving a phone call from an old friend years ago. He and I had met almost weekly for more than a year, working through a Bible study aimed at developing disciples for Christ. Then, because of his work schedule, we stopped meeting.

While we were meeting, it had seemed he was growing spiritually, eagerly discussing the Scriptures and even memorizing some verses. The night he called, however, my friend was wrestling with some deep, dark issues. Answering the phone I instantly could tell he was very upset. “Bob,” he said, with voice trembling, “I need a friend.” That’s all he said, over and over: “I need a friend.” 

I tried to encourage him to explain what was troubling him, but the best I could do was arrange a time and place when we could meet. As we sat down at a restaurant a couple of days later, my friend proceeded to open up about his secrets. He confessed a pattern of sinful behavior I had known nothing about during the months we met. He’d never confided this to anyone. After years of living a double life, the guilt and shame had become more than he could bear.

What I heard surprised me, but didn’t shock me. After years of discipling and mentoring other men, I’d learned you’re likely to hear anything and everything. I also understood the truth of 1 Corinthians 10:12-13, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man….” There’s no sin that any of us is incapable of doing, in thought, word or deed, apart from the saving power of Jesus Christ.

So I didn’t judge him or condemn. What I did was commend him for finally bringing his sins to light. James 5:16 tells us, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” This is not like confessing to a pastor or priest, seeking absolution. It’s shining the light of God’s grace and mercy into one’s dark, secret world – because once revealed, besetting sins can lose their power.

Another passage from the same book gives a vivid illustration of the power of confession and repentance: “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:8-10).

This is what my friend had done, finally becoming honest with himself and submitting to the accountability of God – and a brother in Christ. For the first time, he was able to experience the truth of 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Temptation: The Equal Opportunity Troublemaker

“I can overcome anything – except temptation.” I don’t know who first made this admission, but it was probably Adam and Eve. And we’ve been saying it ever since. Must be “part of our DNA.”

The first biblical couple, of course, had been given everything they needed in the Garden of Eden, and God had provided unlimited access to all but one thing – the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which stood in the middle of the garden. That alone was off limits, out of bounds, verboten. But like little kids told not to touch a hot stove, or to keep their fingers out of the cookie jar, the temptation was too much to withstand.

Just because the flower looks pretty, that
doesn't mean it's not a pesky weed.

They probably didn’t run immediately to the forbidden tree to sample its forbidden fruit. They most likely strolled all around paradise, enraptured by all they saw, tasted, smelled and experienced, but every once in a while would glance at the tree labeled “Don’t Touch.” Eventually, their glances turned to longing and, prodded by the tempter, Adam and Eve started thinking, “Why can’t we eat from that tree? What’s so special about that one? Is its fruit better than all the others we’ve already tried? Why won’t God let us have fruit from that tree? If God is truly a loving God, He’d let us have it too!”

Ultimately the temptation won out. They eased over to the taboo tree, plucked a piece of fruit and took a bite. Hence they engaged in what theologians call “the original sin,” instigating the Fall of Man, and we’ve been wrestling with temptation and sin ever since.

As someone has wisely noted, if sin wasn’t fun, we wouldn’t want to do it. Stuff we don’t like or don’t want to do doesn’t trouble us at all. I’m not tempted to eat liver, or Brussels sprouts – I don’t like them. But hotdogs and French fries, pizza, or an ice cream sundae, those are another matter. I’m not tempted to squander hours watching the craziness of the Kardashians, “The Bachelor” or “Honey Boo-Boo,” but can easily become mesmerized by a marathon of “Twilight Zone” episodes or repeats of “NCIS.”

Being made in the image of a Creator God, we have repaid Him by becoming amazingly creative, even in the types of temptations that captivate us. We’re tempted by greed, gluttony, sexual lust and cravings of other kinds, selfishness, envy, anger, resentment, pride, independence from God, arrogance, even – as one website recently pointed – taking questionable shortcuts to success. Why invest time and struggle and energy if we can achieve our goals the “easy way”?

“I can’t help it!” we offer as justification when temptation gets the best of us and we succumb to sin. “The devil made me do it!” we protest, echoing the excuse of Flip Wilson’s “Geraldine” from TV years ago. “I’m only human!” we explain, essentially implying it’s God’s fault.

But we can’t blame God because the Scriptures assure us He will never tempt us to sin. James 1:13-14 declares, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone, but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.”

Earlier in this passage it does state God “tests” us: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance…” (James 1:2-4). But there’s great difference between “tempting” and “testing.”

Tempting is being presented with an opportunity to do wrong, to sin. Testing, on the other hand, has the positive goal of presenting us with an opportunity to grow spiritually, to excel in our faith. It’s like the difference between one athlete who, as the big game approaches, elects not to work out and instead spends the day drinking beer and eating potato chips, while another spends several hours in the training room, doing everything necessary for being at his best for the game.

We can play the “Nobody’s perfect” card, a convenient alibi for doing – or not doing – as we know we should. But as an old friend of mine pointed out, “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building a nest in your hair.”

Certain temptations vex each one of us, and what tempts me might not faze you. But we all know our own temptations and through diligence we can avoid what James describes: “…after desire is conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:15).

Fortunately, the Scriptures promise that temptation followed by sin doesn’t have to be our “default setting.” There’s a way out, it says: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape” (1 Corinthians 10:13). 

For a recovering alcoholic, the “way of escape” can mean not entering the local bar. The person wanting to remain faithful to his or her spouse might need to avoid a compromising setting with an attractive coworker on a business trip. Maybe the “shopaholic” needs to avoid the mall. The embittered family member may need to extend forgiveness, even if undeserved or not requested.

Temptations are all around us, beckoning to us like roadway billboards. But they don’t have to assemble nests in our hair.